Gay NCAA women’s basketball players in love thriving on the court
These three players and two coaches, all in relationships, show the strength of being out in the women's game. The post Gay NCAA women’s basketball players in love thriving on the court appeared first on Outsports.
Mark
With women’s college basketball in full swing heading into the meat of conference play in a few weeks, it’s apparent that out gay players and coaches in relationships are thriving, another sign that been open in the women’s game is a blessing.
This is far from a comprehensive list of out players and coaches in women’s Division I basketball (there are zero in the men’s game), but these three players and two coaches are among the elites. Combined, their teams have a 47-2 record as of Wednesday.
Azzi Fudd, guard, Connecticut
Fudd and the defending champion Connecticut Huskies are 9-0, and Fudd is a big reason. She is averaging 18.2 points per game, 3.2 rebounds, 2 assists and is a blistering 53.4% from 3-point line.
Fudd helped lead the Huskies to the 2025 national title and they are on pace to be the favorites again. She is in a relationship with Paige Bueckers, the former Huskies star who was part of the national championship team and is now with the WNBA’s Dallas Wings.
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Fudd grew reminiscent this week when Bueckers returned to train with the team for a few days.
“Obviously, when you lose someone like Paige, it’s not one person who’s gonna fill that void. It’s everyone’s gotta step up and do a little more. People have really stepped up.
“I mean, Paige did so much, the scoring, rebounding, the court vision, the I.Q., and the leadership. We’ve been playing well together so far. So, if we can continue to get better, trend upward without Paige, we’ll be just fine.”
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Olivia Miles, guard, TCU
Miles has the 10-0 Horned Frogs rolling, averaging 17.7 ppg, 6.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists.
Miles, a transfer from Notre Dame, is in a relationship with former Notre Dame teammate Maddy Westbeld, who is now in the WNBA. The two have a cat, Bean Miles-Westbend, who is a celebrity in his own right.
(@bean.mw)Rori Harmon, guard, Texas
Harmon leads the 10-0 Longhorns despite being her team’s eight-best scorer. She averages 9.2 points a game, but thrives with 6.8 assists and 2.7 steals. As the Washington Post reports about what it calls “the best point guard in the country,” “Rori Harmon is the engine for No. 2 Texas, and the 5-foot-6 senior is happy to let her teammates do the scoring.”
Harmon is in a relationship with Shaylee Gonzales, who played at BYU and Texas and now plays overseas.
Jan Jensen, head coach, Iowa
Jensen and the 9-0 Hawkeyes are ranked 11th in the country and have a big showdown Wednesday night with intrastate rival Iowa State. Under previous head coach Lisa Bluder, she had been the associate head coach, helping to lead Iowa to 18 NCAA Tournament appearances in 24 seasons. She was 23-11 in her first season as head coach, leading the Hawkeyes to the tournament yet again. Jensen lives with her spouse, Julie Fitzpatrick. The couple have a son, Jack, and a daughter, Janie.
Courtney Banghart, head coach, North Carolina
Banghart’s Tar Heels are 9-2, but those losses were to No. 2 Texas and No. 3 UCLA. In her six seasons with North Carolina, Banghart is Carolina is 125-64. We could not find examples of her discussing being LGBTQ, but she does live with her wife, lacrosse administrator Michele DeJuliis, and their three children.
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The post Gay NCAA women’s basketball players in love thriving on the court appeared first on Outsports.
